Slow Motorway Speeds?

[bmcecosse]

It should manage 70 + on the flat quite easily - if in good order. have you checked the speedometer is correct - against a GPS ?? Next - we need to see a compression check to get an idea of the general condition of the engine. No point doing much else till we know that!

[Nuffles]

The speedo is quite a bit out. An indicated 50-55=45mph. Indicated 60mph is around 50 on a satnav. I have no idea about compression, so the search for a compression tester has been started. Low compression = how bad? It's my daily drive so can't really afford to have it off the road for too long.

[MarkyB]

An indicated 50-55=45mph. Indicated 60mph is around 50 on a satnav

I'm confused, how fast does the satnav say it will go?

A standard Minor is happiest in the slow lane, overtaking lorries at will.

Because so many parts can be changed around between models you might have the diff and/or gearbox off an earlier car, speedo too.

The best top speed seems to be 77mph which may well be a bit optimistic.

Unlike some other cars of the period they weren't designed to be driven flat out, so don't expect to be mixing it with cars 40 or 50 years younger in the fast lane.

If it's your daily driver, a nasty bang and lots of smoke will lead to a very nasty sinking feeling inside .

Sort out the basics and enjoy the car for what it is.

What sort of race would you enter your grandma for?

[bmcecosse]

Start looking for a spare engine then - best to always have one ready to fit if it's your everyday car.

[Nuffles]

Satnav reckons 50-55 absolute tops, but 45mph (satnav) is my cruising speed on the motorway and not a whole lot faster. Lorries overtake me at will rather than the other way around A spare engine wouldn't be a welcome addition to the already packed garage, although it may just fit under my darkroom table at the back so we'd have to see. I'll get on the lookout for one Thanks for all the help guys, I'll get it sorted at some point.

[bmcecosse]

You can always keep a spare engine under the bed - just look out for a bargain ! But if your engine is not blowing out blue smoke or overheating - it's probably fine. A spare cylinder head all nicely cleaned up with valve ground in could be swapped over in an hour (or less!) - and would solve any 'valve' problems with your engine. Then it's just a matter of a 'tune up' !!

[MarkyB]

Try unclamping the accelerator cable at the carb end to see if you can pull more through.

On a similar vein try taking out the carpet and underlay from the drivers side and see how it goes then.

Actually, try these in reverse order, removing carpet doesn't need any tools.

[mike.perry]

The ideal speed on the motorway is well behind an Irish artic, still in the slip stream. At that speed you are not getting in the way and you can maintain speed with a light foot on the accelerater

[Nuffles]

The ideal speed on the motorway is well behind an Irish artic, still in the slip stream. At that speed you are not getting in the way and you can maintain speed with a light foot on the accelerater

I used to slip stream a lot in the Land Rover, purely because the fact that it was shaped like a house allowed it to be sucked along nicely.

Thanks for the help guys, looks like this is going to be a long project

[MarkyB]

You didn't try without the carpets yet!
Hardly a long job.

[bmcecosse]

That's an excellent point MB has made - and one often overlooked. Check the throttle is going fully open when the pedal is on the floor - but also important to make sure it's not fully open BEFORE the pedal hist the floor - that's what causes cables to snap.

[swithland]

Im having a similar problem with maximum speed. I have fitted a fully reconditioned 1098 engine, and it has a reconditioned 1098 gearbox. I paid 180 pounds to Nottingham Minor Centre for a new old stock diff, which they fitted, but I strongly suspect that the diff is not for the 1098 based on my top speed of 54 mph !!

Ive checked my speed with my sat nav, and at 54 mph, the car is literally screaming and the engine is grunting from the bottom end. Ive checked the timing which is spot on. The distributor is brand new.

My car is an early series II with the gold dash. The clock says in doing 43 mph, when it is going at 54 mph.

Based on the fact the max speed is 54 mph, does anyone know what the diff is that is in my car ( without me taking it out ) ? I did have the diff out a few weeks ago because the Nottingham Minor Centre had welded a bolt into the oil filler hole preventing the oil from being poured in ! I drilled out the bolt, but had to take the diff out to clean inside the axle casing to get rid of all of the filings. Pity I didnt make a note of what the diff said on the gearing.

If as I suspect the diff is incorrect. Is it possible for me to replae the crown wheel and pinion to bring it in line with the correct gearing ? That would save having to repalce the whole diff.

Ive shipped the car out to my home in Hong Kong and it will be on the roads of Hong Kong in a month. I really would like to be driving the car at the correct speeds, so any help would be appreciated..........

A pic of the gearbox and engine are below.[frame][/frame]

[mike.perry]

If you have a Series 11 then it would normally have a 5.375 diff to go with the standard 803 engine. However if you have a 1098 engine and box you would expect them to supply a 4.22 diff to match the engine/box but they may have supplied a 5.375. On the subject of speedos, as your car has the small Series 11 speedo with a 1000TPM to suit the 5.375 diff there is no direct replacement to suit the 4.22 diff, the nearest is a speedo from a Series MM which will match a 4.55 diff. The other option is to get your speedo re calibrated.
The crown wheel and pinion come as a unit.

[Bazzalucas]

Here in Michigan (in the 'States), the motorway speed limit is 70 mph. Universally exceeded by everyone but my Minor, it seems. Even so, my '58 with 1275 and 3.9 diff will run at 70 happily all day. I liked the 3.9 so much I'm looking for a 3.7!

[bmcecosse]

Does sound like you have been sold a 5.375 final drive [] Send it back for 'money back' - since they fitted a 1098 engine/box for you - they should have known you needed a 4.22 final drive. Swapping crownwheel/pinion etc is certainly possible - but needs to be set up absolutely spot-on - not really a sensible way forward. [moderated - Ray]

[Plin]

Swithland - I feel very sorry for your situation [remainder of post removed due to conform with T&C's. Ray.]

[swithland]

Thanks everyone for your advice on the diff. I will look out for a reconditioned 4.22. Im not back in the UK until just before Christmas, so once my car arrives in Hong Kong ( three weeks with any luck ) I will have to make do until Christmas, and then bring a replacement diff back with me to swap over. If I had known that they had fitted a rummy diff, then I could have sorted it out before shipping the car, but with only passing the MOT 2 days before shipping, I didnt have time.

I agree that anyone should be very careful with the Nottingham Minor Centre. My experiences were not good. Im still struggling to get my doors to fit properly and the replacement front inner wings dont line up properly with the bonnet ( needs pulling in ). Urghh, anyway, Id rather forget that terrible experience.

[mike.perry]

Your car has Series MM bonnet badges, was it originally a Series MM?
We had this discussion about another car recently and it did turn out to be a Series MM. Ref. "....every cloud." What is the chassis no.?

[rayofleamington]

The 3.9 diff doesn't make a major difference to 1st gear hill starting. Hill starts even when loaded should be ok as the standard clutch has enough cpacity (> 3 times more spare capacity than a modern car clutch)
The 3.7 is more noticeable in 1st but the biggest difference is 3rd gear hills, where you'll probably end up in 2nd.

[RobMoore]

Erm!!!!
Excuse me but why is a thread containing comments about poor quality work from a business being allowed?
[the thread has now been moderated to remove comments about both traders - as soon as the posts were seen by a mod]
Please no double standards mods [PM sent ]